Water-cooled furnace door frame



Dec. 3, 1963 J. H. REIGHART 3,112,736

WATER-COOLED FURNACE DOOR FRAME Original Filed March '7, 1960 INVENTOR. JwzwliReitgfiaz fi BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,112,736 WATER-COOLED FURNACE DOGR FRAME June H. Reighart, 1991 Lee Road, Cleveland, Ohio Original application Mar. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 13,056, now Patent No. 3,077,866, dated Feb. 19, 1963. Divided and this application May 4, 1962, Ser. No. 192,566

3 Claims. (Cl. 122-498) The invention relates to furnace door frames and more particularly to water-cooled door frames especially adapted for use with water-cooled doors of open hearth furnaces and the like, and the present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 13,066, filed March 7, 1960, now Patent No. 3,077,866.

Hollow, water-cooled door frames are commonly used for such furnaces, such door frames comprising generally a hollow steel shell forming an arch with depending hollow legs or jambs communicating therewith, and means for passing cooling water theretln'ough.

In steel mills generally, river water is circulated through the hollow shell and jambs of such door frames for cooling the same to protect them against the intense furnace heat to which they are subjected. As river water ordinarily contains sand, silt, earth and the like, much of which is so fine that it passes through the filters usually provided for such purpose, considerable difiiculty is experienced by admitting the same to the interiors of such hollow door frames.

A major difiiculty experienced in steel mill practice is that this fine sand, silt, earth and similar impurities is deposited in a film or layer upon the arch of the door frame, which is subjected to the full intensity of the furnace heat.

This results in this film or layer of earthy sub-stances becoming vitrified by the heat of the furnace, and by continued use additional films of these substances will build up upon the arch of the door frame and become vitrified, forming an insulation layer of such thickness that the water circulating through the hollow shell can no longer adequately cool the arch of the door frame.

As a result, the arch plate of the door frame is subjected to the'full intensity of the furnace heat without the benefit of adequate cooling, and quickly burns out, rendering the door frame useless and requiring immediate replacement thereof.

Such furnace door frames are sometimes provided with a hollow lintel disposed inwardly toward the interior of the furnace for supporting the skewback channel which supports one end of the furnace roof.

Also, such door frames are sometimes provided with inwardly disposed, hollow jamb guards on the legs or jambs of the door frame, between which ja-mb guards the brickwork of the furnace wall is built.

In some cases, such furnace door frames are provided with both a hollow lintel and hollow jamb guards, and, since these members frame the door opening on the furnace side of the door frame, it is necessary that these hollow lintels and hollow jamb guards be cooled by the circulation of water therethrough in order to protect them from the furnace heat.

Another difiicul-ty commonly experienced in the use of such water-cooled furnace door frames is the formation of steam pockets which interfere with the flow of water.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a hollow, water-cooled door frame having means therein for preventing earthy impurities in the circulating water from being deposited upon the arch plate of the door frame and insulating the same against the cooling influence of the Water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door frame of the character referred to having sumps in the lower ends of the hollow legs or jambs thereof and means for delivering the cooling water directly to these sumps so that the greater portion of the earthy impurities in the water may be deposited therein, after which the water with these impurities removed therefrom is circulated through the hollow shell.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a door frame in which each sump is formed by an angularly inclined partition wall within and spaced from the lower end of each leg or jamb of the frame, the water inlet pipe being located through said partition wall for delivering the incoming Water directly into the sump, the water then rising through an opening at the top of the inclined partition wall and circulating through the hollow door frame to the discharge outlet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hollow, water-cooled door frame of the character referred to having a hollow inwardly disposed lintel and means for circulating cooling water through the lintel in a manner to adequately cool the same and protect it from the furnace heat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a furnace door frame of this type having inwardly disposed hollow jamb guards on the legs or ja-mbs thereof and means for circulating cooling water through these jamb guards so as to adequately cool the same to protect them against the heat of the furnace.

A further object of the invention is to provide a watercooled door frame of this type having a separate circulation system in each jamb guard to prevent accumulation of steam in pockets which would interfere with the flow of Water.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a water-cooled door frame having a hollow inwardly disposed lintel thereon and hollow inwardly disposed jamb guards upon the legs or jam-bs thereof and means for circulating cooling water through the hollow lintel and through the hollow jamb guards to adequately cool the same and protect them against the furnace heat.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a door frame in which the hollow lintel and hollow jarnb guards are separated from each other and separate means is provided for circulating cooling Water through each.

Another object of the invention is to provide a watercooled door frame of this type in which spaced bafile walls are provided within the hollow jamb guards so as to direct the flow of cooling water against the innermost portions of the jamb guards.

These and other objects, apparent from the drawings and following description, may be attained, the above-described difficulties overcome and the advantages and results obtained, :by the apparatus, construction, arrangement and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprise the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principle, being set forth in detail in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In general terms, the invention may be briefly described in its simplest form as comprising a hollow water-cooled furnace door frame comprising a steel shell having depending legs or jambs, an arch plate in the shell forming the bottom of the main body of the door frame and the opposed side walls of the legs or jambs.

An angularly inclined partition Wall is located Within the lower portion of each leg or jamb at a point spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each hollow leg or jamb. A water inlet pipe enters the hollow shell at one upper corner thereof and communicates with a manifold centrally located therein. Pipes lead from each end of said manifold down into the hollow legs or jambs, each pipe passing through the corresponding inclined partition wall and terminating therebelow.

Thus, the incoming water is delivered directly to the sumps in the lower ends of the legs or jambs and earthy impurities in the water may be deposited by gravity therein. The water then passes upward through an opening at the top of each inclined partition wall through the hollow legs or jambs and then through the main body portion of the shell and is discharged through an outlet pipe in the other upper corner of the shell.

A small vent is preferably provided in the lower portion of each inclined partition wall to permit a small amount of water to rise upwardly therethrough, in order to agitate the water in the hollow legs or jambs directly above the inclined partition wall to prevent the deposit of earthy impurities from the water onto the top thereof and to permit such impurities to settle by gravity through said vent into the sump. A clean-out plug is provided in the lower portion of each sump for the purpose of periodically removing any accumulation of sand, silt, earth and the like therefrom.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed in this application, a hollow jamb guard is disposed inwardly from each leg or jamb of the hollow door frame, and each hollow jamb guard communicates with the corresponding leg or jamb of the frame only at the upper and lower ends of the jamb guard.

The lower end of the jamb guard communicates with the corresponding leg or jamb directly below the upper end of the inclined partition wall. Spaced, inclined bafile walls are located within each hollow jamb guard in order to direct the How of water against the innermost portion of the jamb guard.

If desired, a second sump may be formed in each leg or jamb by locating a second inclined partition wall therein at a point above the first partition wall, the second pipe in each leg extending through this second partition wall and terminating therebelow, and the water rising up from the second sump through an opening at the upper end of the second partition wall and circulating upward through the hollow legs or jambs and then through the main body portion of the hollow door frame to the outlet.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed herein, a hollow lintel is provided upon the door frame. A water inlet pipe leads directly from the manifold to the hollow lintel, at the center thereof, the water circulating in both directions through the hollow lintel and passing out of the same at each end of the top of the V lintel to a pipe which extends down into the corresponding hollow leg or jamb with sump therein as above described.

Having thus briefly described the invention, reference is now made. to the accompanying drawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the door frame embodying the invention having hollow water-cooled jamb guards and a hollow water-cooled lintel on the inner or furnace side thereof, with means for circulating cooling water through each, looking toward the back or outer side thereof;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, on a smaller scale, looking toward the inner or furnace side thereof; and 7 FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, the hollow water-cooled furnace door frame is in the form of a hollow steel shell comprising the upper or body portion indicated generally at 1 and the hollow legs or jambs 2 depending from opposite ends thereof.

The shell is formed of the spaced inner and outer steel plates '3 and 4 respectively, forming the inner and outer walls of the body portion and the legs or jambs, the top plate 5, the end plates 6 forming the end walls of the body 1 of the frame and of the legs or jambs, the arch plate 7 forming the bottom of the body portion of the frame and the other side walls of each leg or jamb, and the bottom plates 8 forming closure walls for the lower ends of the legs or jambs 2.

The plates 3 and 4 may be connected in spaced relation as by the spacing bolts or bars 9. Conventional door guideways, as indicated at 10, may be located at each end of the frame on the back or outer side thereof. All of the above parts may be of any usual and well known construction of hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame.

The invention relates to the novel means for circulating cooling water through the hollow door frame for adequately cooling the same to protect it against the intense heat of the furnace, and includes means for preventing earthy impurities in the water from being deposited on the arch plate 7 and forming an insulation which interferes with the proper cooling thereof.

Cooling water is admitted to the interior of the hollow door frame through the inlet pipe 11, at one upper corner of the frame, for connection to a hose or the like leading from a suitable supply of cold water as in usual practice.

The inlet pipe 11 extends through the top plate 5 of the door frame and is then directed toward the center of the hollow shell where it is connected to the manifold 12. Pipes 13 are connected to opposite ends of the manifold 12- and are directed toward opposite ends of the shell and then downwardly as at 14 to the hollow legs or jambs 2.

The lower end of each pipe 14 extends through the in clined partition wall 15 in the lower portion of the adj acent hollow leg or jamb, at a point spaced above the bottom wall 8 thereof. The partition walls 15 are inclined upwardly from outer wall 4 to the inner wall 3 of the frame, and are connected thereto just above the inlet opening 25 at the lower end of the corresponding hollow jamb guard 24.

A vent hole 18 is preferably provided in the lower end of each partition wall 15. Spaced inwardly and upwardly inclined bafile plates 26 are connected to the inner wall 3, within each hollow jamb guard 24, and terminate at points spaced from the vertical inner wall 27 of the jamb.

An outlet opening 30, preferably of smaller size than the opening 25, is provided in the inner wall 3 of the jamb at the upper end of each jamb guard 24, thus permitting water entering the lower end of the jamb guard through the inlet opening 25 to pass out of the upper end of the jamb guard through the outlet opening 30 and enter the interior of the hollow jamb.

A pipe 47 leads from the manifold 12 to the inlet opening 43 centrally located at the bottom of the hollow lintel 40, whereby cooling water from the inlet pipe 11 is passed directly into the hollow lintel.

Pipes 44 communicate with outlet opening 45 at opposite ends ofthe hollow lintel 40, at the top thereof. The pipes 44 are then directed downwardly as at 49 to the hollow legs or jambs 2.

A second inclined partition wall 33- may be located in each hollow leg or jamb 2 spaced above the partition wall 15, so as to provide a second sump for receiving earthy impurities from the water.

An opening 34 is formed adjacent the upper end of each inclined partition wall 3 so that the water from the pipes 49 will pass upward out of the upper sump 36 and will rise upwardly through the hollow legs or jambs and circulate through the hollow body 1 and be discharged from the hollow frame through the outlet 19.

With this constnuctionit will be seen that the hollow jamb guards 24 and the hollow lintel 40 will each be cooled by water admitted directly thereto from the inlet pipe, and that the water will then pass out of the hollow jamb guards and hollow lintels and circulate through the hollow shell of the frame.

A considerable portion of the earthy impurities in the water will be deposited in the sumps 21 and 36 in the lower portions of the hollow legs or jambs, thus minimizing the possibility of building up a film of these earthy urities upon the top of plate 7.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes therein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame of the character described, spaced inner and outer plates having depending extensions at opposite side edges defining in part a hollow shell consisting of a hollow body portion and spaced hollow legs depending therefrom, a top plate closing the top of said hollow body portion, an arch plate closing the bottom of said hollow body portion and the inner sides of the hollow legs, end plates closing the edges of the hollow body and the outer sides of the hollow legs, bottom plates closing the lower ends of the hollow legs, a partition wall within each hollow leg and spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each leg, means for circulating a fluid through said shell, said means comprising a fluid inlet pipe extending from an upper corner of the hollow shell to a point adjacent the center of the hollow body portion, conduits extending down into said hollow legs and through the partition walls therein, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and said conduits, hollow vertical water-cooled jamb guards fixed upon the exterior of said inner plate and substantially coextensive with said hollow legs, means providing communication between each sump and the lower end of the corresponding jamb guard, means providing communication between the upper end of each jamb guard and the hollow shell, a second partition wall in each hollow leg spaced above the first named partition wall and providing a second sump in each hollow leg, there being an opening in each second named partition forming communication between each second named sump and the corresponding hollow leg, second conduits extending down into said second sumps, a hollow horizontal water-cooled lintel fixed upon said inner plate, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and the center of said hollow lintel, said second conduits communicating with the ends of said hollow lintel, and a fluid outlet at the other upper corner of the hollow shell.

2. In a hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame of the character described, spaced inner and outer plates having depending extensions at opposite side edges defining in part a hollow shell consisting of a hollow body portion and spaced hollow legs depending therefrom, a top plate closing the top of said hollow body portion, an arch plate closing the bottom of said hollow body portion, and the inner sides of the hollow legs, end plates closing the edges of the hollow body and the outer sides of the hollow leg-s, bottom plates closing the lower ends of the hollow legs, a partition wall within each hollow leg and spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each leg, means for circulating a fluid through said shell, said means comprising a fluid inlet pipe extending from an upper corner of the hollow shell to a point adjacent the center of the hollow body portion, conduits extending down into said hollow legs and through the partition walls therein, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and said conduits, hollow vertical water-cooled jamb guards fixed upon the exterior of said inner plate and substantially coextensive with said hollow legs, means providing communication between each sump and the lower end of the corresponding jamb guard, means providing communication between the upper end of each jamb guard and the hollow shell, a second partition wall in each hollow leg spaced above the first named partition wall and providing a second sump in each hollow leg, there being an opening in each second named partition forming communication between each second named sump and the corresponding hollow leg, second conduits extending down into said second sumps, a hollow horizontal water-cooled lintel fixed upon said inner plate, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and the center of said hollow lintel at the bottom thereof, said second conduits communicating with the ends of said hollow lintel at the top thereof, and a fluid outlet at the other upper corner of the hollow shell. 3. In a hollow, water-cooled furnace door frame of the character described, spaced inner and outer plates having depending extensions at opposite side edges defining in part a hollow shell consisting of a hollow body portion and spaced hollow legs depending therefrom, a top plate closing the top of said hollow body portion, an arch plate closing the bottom of said hollow body portion and the inner sides of the hollow legs, end plates closing the edges of the hollow body and the outer sides of the hollow legs, bottom plates closing the lower ends of the hollow legs, a partition wall within each hollow leg and spaced from the bottom thereof providing a sump in the lower end of each leg, means for circulating a fluid through said shell, said means comprising a fluid inlet pipe extending from an upper corner of the hollow shell to a point adjaent the center of the hollow body portion, conduits extending down into said hollow legs and through the partition walls therein, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and said conduits, hollow vertical water-cooled jamb guards fixed upon the exterior of said inner plate and substantially coextensive with said hollow legs, means providing communication between each sump and the lower end of the corresponding jamb guard, means providing communication between the upper end of each jamb guard and the hollow shell, a hollow horizontal water-cooled lintel fixed upon said inner plate, means providing communication between said inlet pipe and the center of said hollow lintel, second conduits extending down into said legs and terminating above said partitions, said second conduits communicating with the ends of said hollow lintel, and a fluid outlet at the other upper corner of the hollow shell.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,884 Schmidt Jan. 9, 1917 2,529,272 Yoxall Nov. 7, 1950 2,720,192 H-umes Oct. 1 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 774,209 Great Britain May 8, 1957 

1. IN A HOLLOW, WATER-COOLED FURNACE DOOR FRAME OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, SPACED INNER AND OUTER PLATES HAVING DEPENDING EXTENSIONS AT OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES DEFINING IN PART A HOLLOW SHELL CONSISTING OF A HOLLOW BODY PORTION AND SPACED HOLLOW LEGS DEPENDING THEREFROM, A TOP PLATE CLOSING THE TOP OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, AN ARCH PLATE CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION AND THE INNER SIDES OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, END PLATES CLOSING THE EDGES OF THE HOLLOW BODY AND THE OUTER SIDES OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, BOTTOM PLATES CLOSING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE HOLLOW LEGS, A PARTITION WALL WITHIN EACH HOLLOW LEG AND SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF PROVIDING A SUMP IN THE LOWER END OF EACH LEG, MEANS FOR CIRCULATING A FLUID THROUGH SAID SHELL, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A FLUID INLET PIPE EXTENDING FROM AN UPPER CORNER OF THE HOLLOW SHELL TO A POINT ADJACENT THE CENTER OF THE HOLLOW BODY PORTION, CONDUITS EXTENDING DOWN INTO SAID HOLLOW LEGS AND THROUGH THE PARTITION WALLS THEREIN, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICA-K TION BETWEEN SAID INLET PIPE AND SAID CONDUITS, HOLLOW VERTICAL WATER-COOLED JAMB GUARDS FIXED UPON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID INNER PLATE AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID HOLLOW LEGS, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EACH SUMP AND THE LOWER END OF THE CORRESPONDING JAMB GUARD, MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE UPPER END OF EACH JAMB GUARD AND THE HOLLOW SHELL, A SECOND PARTITION WALL IN EACH HOLLOW LEG SPACED ABOVE THE FIRST NAMED PARTITION WALL AND PROVIDING A SECOND SUMP IN 